Improvement in washing-machines



UNITED STATEs SAMUEL SMITH, OF BOURBON, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,162, dated August 15, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL SMITH, of Bourbon, in the county of Marshall and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Washin g-Machines 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l is a side view of the improved washing-machine, a part of the tank or box broken away, showing the construction of the several parts. Figure 2 is an end view.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each ligure.

My invention relates to certain improvements in washing-machines and consists in providing the water-tank or box with a rubbing-surface having its face curved or hollowed out, and provided with a series of transverse corrugations, said corrugated surface being acted upon by a vertically-suspended rubbing-board having a pendulous motion, said rubbing-board bein g connected with sliding standards carrying a corrugated swinging rubbing-board, so as to be raised and lowered, when desired, by means of a lever having a fulcrum and attached to anY axle or cross-bar arranged below the water-tank, and connected with the ends of the aforementioned sliding standards, the said lever engaging with v rack-teeth secured upon the machine, so as to be retained in the position desired for washing thick or light clothing, all of which parts will hereinafter more fully be set forth in detail.

In the drawing, E designates the water-receptacle or tank, made of wood or other suitable material, and preferably in the form of a parallelogram, and is provided with suitable feet or legs for its Substantial support. Within this waterreceptacle or tank E is placed rigidly a washboard, B, formed or provided with a concave rubbing face having a series of transverse corrugations, a a, extending over the entire face, upon which the clothes to be washed are placed. A is the rubbing-board, suspended directly over the rubber E, and has a convex rubbing-surface and a series of transverse eorrugations, bib, upon its face. This rubbing-board is suspended by connecting-rods H Htc an axle, F, so as to have a backward or forward or pendulous motion, said axle having its bearings in sliding standards K K, moving and guided in stationary standards I I secured upon the sides of the water-receptacle or box E. It will thus be seen that when the receptacle or tank E has been furnished with sufficient water for the purpose, and the clothes to be washed are placed in said tank between the two corrugated rubbing-surfaces, that, by giving a backward and forward pendulous motion to the swinging rubbing-board, the clothes will be subj ected to a uniform and even frictional surface, whereby all dirt is readily and easily extracted in a manner similar but superior to the ordinary hand process. In this particular instance I would say that the axle to which the connecting-bars H of the swinging rubbing-board are attached may rotate and the bars be rigidly attached, or the axle may be stationary and the bars H turn on the axle. The standards K K slide within grooves formed in stationary standards I I attached upon the tank E, and the upper portions of the sliding standards form bearings for the axle F of the swinging rubbing-board, while the lower portions, extending below the tank E, are connected together by a cross-bar or axle G, to which an adjusting-lever, C, is secured, for the purpose of raising or lowering the rubbing-board A, whereby the intermediate space between the two rubbing-surfaces a b may be increased or decreased, to receive small or large parcels, either thick or thin, designed to be washed; and at the same time the rubbing-board is prevented from pressing too closely upon the clothes by means of said lever C and rack-teeth. The adjustinglever C is either rigidly or loosely attached upon the cross-bar or axle Gr, while at or about its center it is connected with an arm or support, L, which forms its fulcrum. Near the front end of this lever is a plate, c, which engages and interlocks with a plate, D, formed with teeth, whereby the lever is held firmly in position when it is raised or depressed for the purpose of operating the sliding standards and elevating or lowering the swinging rubber-board. rIhe swinging rubber-board may be moved directly by the hand, or itmay be operated by a lever attached to either end, as at e.

The construction of the several parts constituting my invention, it will be seen, are simple. Its mode of operation will be readily understood by any one, and will be found to beeasily operatrubber-board A, and stationary rubbing-board B ed and effectual in use. of the tank E, constructed as described, for the Having thus described my invention, what I purpose set forth; v claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Pat- SAMUEL SMITH. ent, is- Witnesses:

The adjusting-lever G, in combination with ACLAYTON GRANT, the sliding standards K K, swinging corrugated C. J. SLATER. 

